Sunday, October 21, 2012

"And though he's one of the most important living African-American painters in America, he just doesn't understand what the fuss is about. Never mind that he's the only American artist ever to design a scarf for Hermès — which he's done 16 times.

Again, he's also an employee of the U.S. Postal Service.

"He doesn't believe he can make a living as a painter," Sheeler says. "He doesn't even believe that he's that good — those are his words. He just likes to paint.

"He works overnight at the post office, comes home, paints a little bit, takes a nap and then does it all over again. He survives on two to three hours of sleep. Eats a sandwich on his break at the post office. He gets a 30-minute break, and then he goes back to sorting mail."

Q: Standing on the platform of the capsule, looking down at earth and ready to jump
"When i was standing there on top of the world you become so humble--the only thing you want is to come back alive. You don’t want to die in front of your parents, your girlfriend and all those people.”

Q: What he said at that moment
"I know the whole world is watching now and i wish the world could see what I see…Sometimes you have to go up really high to understand how small you are.”